Question

Hey guys, I can't tell if the answer would be b or d.

What is the first step in determining whether a group of scientists had created false data in a study?

a) taking the group to court and using a jury find out if the data was true or fake
b) reading through the experimental procedure and comparing it to data given
c) thinking about whether the trend shown seems like it was possible or not
d) conducting the study again using the same tools and then comparing data

Answer 1

Hmm. This is a problem that requires some thought. Let's break it down. Obviously, A and C are of absolutely no consequence to us as you have said, leaving B and D to choose from. I think that B should be eliminated because one can read through any type of experimental procedure and compare it to the data given to them--but that doesn't really prove anything, does it?

For instance, say a scientist has claimed to have created cold fusion. Just by reading their experimental procedure with the data they've provided, it wouldn't prove that they have actually created the cold fusion. This leaves us with the answer of D, because only through scientific experimentation, performing the exact same experiment and comparing the data, would one be able to determine whether a group of scientists have created false data in a study.